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'Lincoln' expert finds subject to be timeless

Despite having a popular resurgence lately on the silver screen, Abraham Lincoln’s legacy has been a timeless tool for presidents to use.

“Bill Clinton loves his ability to communicate, loves his compassion and loves the story of going from log cabin to White House,” Harold Holzer, author of “Lincoln: How Abraham Lincoln Ended Slavery in America,” told POLITICO. Holzer also consulted on Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated film, “Lincoln.” “President Obama loves the idea that so-called inexperienced leaders can somehow be the best at what they do by bringing fresh perspective.”

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The fact that “Lincoln” has been a critical and commercial success is not terribly surprising to Holzer, who thinks the film is a perfect antidote to the type of dysfunction most Americans see emanating from Washington.

“It just fits in with the schadenfreude of politics now,” said Holzer. “If you can show a Congress that functions even during a Civil War, you give hope to people who think we’re totally dysfunctional. … People thirst for an explanation of how we used to get things routinely evaluated by the legislative branch and acted on.”

Holzer has authored 43 books, including “Emancipating Lincoln” and “Lincoln at Cooper Union.” Clinton appointed him to the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission in 2000, and former President George W. Bush awarded Holzer the National Humanities Medal in 2008 for his work studying the Civil War.

During the movie’s production, Holzer met with both Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner to provide his perspective and thoughts about Lincoln.

“I’ve had a ball,” Holzer said, recalling his time working on the film. “For years, people like me, who work in the Lincoln history field, have been saying … if only a major filmmaker took a look at this and found the drama, that will be interesting to people. … With Spielberg, it’s a perfect storm.”

He was unable to meet Daniel Day-Lewis, who portrays Lincoln, but he said the actor nailed the part.

“I think Daniel Day-Lewis got it. I think he read it. I think he intuited it.” Holzer thinks Day-Lewis is a shoo-in for the Academy Award for best actor, the movie for best picture and Kushner for best adapted screenplay. The film received 12 nominations, the most of any other motion picture. Other nominations include Sally Field for best supporting actress and Tommy Lee Jones for best supporting actor.

The film portrays Lincoln as a politician who might struggle in today’s political culture: a high-pitched voice, an awkward walking gait, a face and demeanor that might not juxtapose well in his home state of Illinois with, say, Rep. Aaron Schock. But Holzer says not to believe the idea that Lincoln wouldn’t cut it nowadays.

“He would have been smart enough to dress like me and not wear a stove-top hat and an awkward bow tie,” said Holzer. “You have to think that someone with his intelligence would have found a way to meet the image requirements. He was so savvy about the media in his own day.”